Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-06-30
NEW THINGS IN TOYS.
Yankee Ingenuity Leading the Old Woi
In Oddities and Novelties.

Yankee Ingenuity Leading the Old World
In Oddities and Novelties.
The European toy-maker is being
rapidly supplanted by the American
manufacturer. New York has become
the great distributing point for toys,
but the ingenious Yankees of Connecti-
cut make most of them. New York
children, too, buy more expensive play
things than those of any other city. but
Philadelphia juveniles use more in pro-
portion to the population. The head OF
large wholesale house for the sale of
children's goods states that recently he
shipped five hundred gross of toy pistols
to Bombay for sale among the children
of India. A large consignment of play
things was sent not very long ago to
South Africa. Toy pistols and tin horses
hitched to red wagons are the favorite
articles with the South Africans. Some
Of these toys 60 to the children, and oc-
casionally, when one chief wants to
propitiate another, he sends an advance
. guard to palaver with the person, to
whom they make such presents as half
dozen 10-cent toy revolvers, few tin
dogs and cats and a baseball mask.
All goods for the African trade must be
painted in gay colors.
The number of patents covering
mechanical toys is very large. The
horse that trots around the table with
red wagon and driver whipping
him at every Jump is covered with three
patents that yield remunerative royal
ties, At present large percentage OF
the business is in toy pistols for the
Fourth of July. In fact, the pistol is
the staple article of the trade. The
old-time fire-arm that shot a blank
cartridge has been driven out OF the
market by pistol or self-cocking re-
volver that shoots paper cap. Brass
cannons made with as great care tc
provide against flaws as piece of wal
ordnance, sell at from 81 to $40 each
and mortars that shoot a wooden bal
high in the air with a loud report, are
among the novelties. Baseball goods
for boys are now made by automatic
machinery, and mask, which formerly
cost lad rs cents, can be bought fo
rs. Curious mechanical toys of figures
going through the motion of playing
base ball, and negro fighting al
Irishman, sell at from $3 to S., and {
new one representing drunken maj
trying to unlock his front door with |
latch key, while his wife stands at al
upper window and angrily ways hel
jaw, is sold largely for saloons. Ii
boy is rich enough to spend from 81
to $35 he can get splendi'
locomotive that runs by steam on
circular track for an hour and hall
It has tubular boiler, the heat is en-
gendered by an alcohol lamp with half
a-dozen wicks, and too-heavy load o
steam is relieved by safety-valve. TIL
most novel piece of rolling stock nov
sold is locomotive that runs by clock
work around the table. Suddenly
little bomb inside is bursted, spring
fly out and the engine is knocked t.
pieces. The exploding locomotive
almost equaled, in the boys estimation
by one that smokes cigarette in it
stack and puffs out the smoke as it runs
A great many people make a livini
by manufacturing toys in New York
A score of Italians make pin wheels q
gay colors which they sell on the street
at five cents apiece. Their best patron
are the rich youngsters who promenad
Fifth avenue. The most artisticall
made play things sold in the city ar
miniature yachts manufactured by
model maker on One Hundred an
Tenth street. He makes full-rigge
little crafts of approved models, correc
in all their details and warranted t
sail as well as a full-sized yacht. Boy
who have 800 to $50 to spend on sue
play thing patronize the model maker
N Y. Cor. Denver Republican.